J'attendrai
by Anysia
Summary: An adult Misty reflects on life and love while waiting in the rain.


**_J'attendrai_****__**

Summary: An adult Misty reflects on life and love while waiting in the rain.

A/N: Color me hypocritical. I know I just spent a good deal of time in Chapter Two of "Characters' Lament" railing against angsty Misty-centric fics, but Brian's right; there's just something so tempting about them. Anyway, I'm sure this story has been done before, but I'm twisting it around a little bit. 

Heed the categorization, people; this is not a happy story.

By the way—for those of you who do not speak a word of French, the title means "I'll Wait".

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo, Game Freak, 4Kids, and probably some other people I'm forgetting. In any case, it's not mine.

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There's something deliciously sensual about rain.

Each little droplet against my skin reminds me of just how long it's been since I've seen Ash, felt his lips trailing over my body. It's been a little over a year now; I've been keeping track.

I can't wait to see him. He's been too busy to call; being a Pokemon Master certainly takes a toll on one's social life. But I figure that if I can wait an entire year, I can wait for another hour or so.

Most people despise rain and hurry to get out of it; yet here I am, standing in the middle of a downpour—no umbrella, no raincoat, not even a lousy pair of galoshes. Then again, I've never been "most people". To me, rain is just another incarnation of water, and, as such, I find it wonderfully soothing.

I sigh a little and twist the promise ring on my right finger. "What's taking you so long, Ash?" I wonder aloud, a bit of annoyance unconsciously seeping into my voice. As much as I love my personal headache of a boyfriend, I just might have to give him a good whack over the head with my mallet. I swear, that boy is never on time for anything.

The rain is beginning to fall more heavily, and its gentle caress as it streams through my now-soaked hair and down my face immediately serves to remind me of Ash's touch. I immediately inwardly chastise myself for my thoughts; we've been apart for far too long for me to waste time with pettiness. 

We've been together for five years now, ever since Ash became a Pokemon Master at the age of seventeen and declared his feelings for me on the same day. Over the next few years, our bond only grew stronger, and two years ago we decided to take our relationship to the next level. I was more than a little shocked; the clumsiest, least coordinated boy I had ever known in my life turned out to be quite a skilled lover (not that I'm an expert on it or anything, but still). Shortly after the first time we had sex, Ash presented me with the promise ring, vowing to always be by my side.

"You think he could at least be a little _punctual about it, though," I say in a slightly weary voice, glancing at my waterproof watch._

I turn sharply as I hear a car horn honk from behind me. I immediately recognize the car as Brock's and roll my eyes a little; ever since Ash and I started dating, Brock has been a bit too interested in the minutiae of our relationship.

"Misty!" Brock cries as he jumps out of the car, not even noticing the rain soaking through his clothes. "What are you _doing out here?"_

"What are _you_?" I quickly retort.

"Your sister called me," he says in a slightly breathless voice. "She said you had just disappeared, and she asked if I had any idea where you might be. Somehow I knew that I'd find you here."

"And why is that?" I ask, feeling as though I should understand his words but ultimately failing to do so. Pushing back a few strands of dampened red hair that have plastered themselves to my forehead, I annoyedly say, "You know what? I don't really care. Just go tell Daisy where I am and that I'll be home in a few hours, okay? Now beat it; I'm waiting for Ash."

"You're—what?" Brock asks, gaping at me. "Oh , Misty. Misty…" he says sadly, gently enveloping me in a sympathetic embrace. "I thought you'd gotten past this; I really did."

"Gotten past _what_?" I ask angrily, pushing him away. "Gotten past _Ash?"_

"Misty," Brock begins, gently taking my hand and looking into my eyes. "You have to accept it—Ash has been dead for over a year."

My mind freezes. I want to scream at Brock, call him a miserable liar, ask him what kind of sick joke he thinks this is…when the long-dormant memories come rushing back to me in one terrible, nightmarish flash…

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It's raining…_pouring_, really. Ash is on his way home from this year's Pokemon League Competition, having served as Master of Ceremonies, and I'm waiting for him on this rural little road by Viridian Forest. We've made plans to meet here; it has special meaning to us, as it's the spot where we shared our first kiss. 

"I might take a little while to get back," he had said over the phone before I left the Cerulean City Gym. "I've got to finish closing things up here before I can head home. Think you can wait for me?"

"I'll wait for you forever," I had replied in earnest.

I'm just starting to think that "forever" might be a pretty good estimate when I see a familiar car speeding down the road—Ash's prized black Mustang. _He really shouldn't be going so fast when it's raining so hard_, I think to myself…

…as the car skids out of control and slams head-on into the oak tree not a hundred feet away from me.

My shock quickly dissipates as I realize just what has happened, a scream wrenching itself from my throat and shattering the soothing sound of raindrops splashing against the road. Using strength I didn't even know I possessed, I pry apart the twisted metal that had once been the driver's side door and cry out as I see Ash's bloody form slumped against the steering wheel, his head tilted at an unnatural angle. Another burst of adrenaline-fueled strength enables me to pull his still form from the twisted wreckage.

"Ash!" I cry in a choked voice, tears streaming down my face and intertwining with the steadily-falling rain. "Christ, Ash, please say something; _anything_!" I let out a desperate sob as a quick pulse check confirms my worst fears. My body seems to go numb from the dizzying combination of shock, pain, and grief compounding themselves within my mind. "I'll wait!" I manage to say, holding Ash's body close. "I'll wait…"

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"Misty…?"

Brock's concerned voice tears me away from my long-suppressed memories. I shakily raise a hand to my face and touch the trails of moisture flowing steadily, finding that once again it is not only from the rain. "I remember now…" I whisper. "He died on his way to see me…"

Brock sighs a little and eyes me pityingly. "I had suspected that you were still as devastated by this now as you were the day Ash…you couldn't even cry at the funeral, Misty."

All the tears that I've been unable to shed for the past year are falling more heavily than the pouring rain. I distantly feel Brock guiding me over to the car, speaking empty, reassuring words, telling me that he'll make sure I get help.

I'm only dimly aware of his words as I observe the small cross at the site where the tall, sturdy oak had stood, now a mere stump. All the details of Ash's death have suddenly flooded my mind, but one thing comes to the forefront: my final words to him before he died. I'm suddenly reminded of their far more tragic meaning.

"I'll wait for you forever," I say in a dry whisper that can barely be heard over the rain.

_"We'll be together again. I promise…" _a voice softly says.

"Ash!" I cry frantically, immediately recognizing the barely-audible voice as Ash's husky tone.

I strain my ears, but hear only the rain.

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End A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know; that was hopelessly sappy. I've probably forfeited my right to complain about the poor quality of fics in the Pokemon fandom, since I myself have just written a story using a rather clichéd and overdone plot device. I'll shave my head as penance tonight.

But here's a little bit of trivia for you: to properly get the "rain" motif down for this fic, I actually stood outside in a downpour for half an hour this morning. I wanted to experience exactly what it felt like before I placed Misty in the situation; otherwise, I wasn't sure I could accurately portray it. Hopefully, that sets me apart at least a _little _from other newbie authors.

As always, C&C welcome. 


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